The Silmarillion. Edited By Christopher Tolkien. Tolkien, J. R. R.

First edition, first impression. This story collection contains the mythology of Middle-earth, hinted at but not fully explored in The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954-55). Tolkien worked on these stories intermittently between the First World War and his death in 1973, after which his son Christopher gathered and published them here. A domestic and export issue were published simultaneously. This copy, from the domestic issue printed by Billing & Sons, was inadvertently issued by the publisher in an unpriced dust jacket from the export issue. Hammond & Anderson A15(a/b). Octavo. Original dark blue cloth, spine gilt-lettered and stamped with heraldic device of Lúthien Tinúviel after a drawing by Tolkien, top edge blue. With dust jacket, illustrated with further devices after Tolkien. Map of the Realms of the Noldor and the Sindar facing p. 120 and large folding map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North at end, both printed in red and black. Endpapers faintly browned, else clean; jacket spine sunned, rubbing to edges, issued without printed price: a near-fine copy in very good jacket.